The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-10-22

in our history II maintained an unequal
system OF taxation, for the avowod purpose OF
obstructng international exchanges and Mt
the same time, with glering inconsistency, 1t
paid subsidies out of the public treasury to en-
courage foreign commerce. II employed the
military power to control elections by the
people, and to ovorawc the tribunals ap.
pointed by law to make the returns. IL
established and abolished courts and commits
sions. and increased or diminished their juris-
dictions to meet political emergencies; and,
under the decisions and awards OF these tenn
porary and irresponsible tribunals, IL paid
many millions of dollars out Of the public
trensury on claims of ut least doubtful validity,
held by people living in part OF the country
where Republican votes were sorcly needed.
Up to the last moment OF its supremacy, 1t
habitually used official power for partisan pur-
poses and made its placcmen an organized
body of political serfs, every one OF whom was
compelled by the inexorablc law OF the party
to contribute his money and his personal serv-
ices whenever demanded.
II is not proposed here to attempt an emu
mcration of all the obnoxious measures and
arbitrary practices OF the Republican party
while In power, but simply to mention few,
for the purpose of indicating the spirit In which
it conducted public affairs. II has left the
country legacy of bad laws and vicious
methods of administration which it will take
many years of earnest labor to correct, and II
is evident that this task can be best
performed by those who have no per
sonal or political responsibility for the
evils that are to be remed died The reconstruc'
tion of the navy and the restoration OF the
merchant marine are not likely to be accom-
plishod by continuation OF the same policy
which reduced them to their present condition
nor is II probable that such reformation OF
the civil service as will make 1t thoroughly
honest and effective, and place official respon'
siblity above partisan obligations, can or Will
be effected by the same political party which
persisently pursued the course that made re-
form necessary. 1t would be an act of folly to
intrust the preservation of the public domain
to the same men who, when they had the
power, despoiled this great heritage of the
people, The same influences which surrounded
and controlled them then surround and con.
troll them now. and will continue to do so.
Few questions of purely internal policy arc
OF greater or more immediate Importance to
the people than those which relate directly or
indirectly TO the public lands. These questions
are of supreme Importance to that large
number OF our citizens who are without other
means than the wages of their labor and
who are struggling to secure homes
for themselves and families Unless
the comparatively small quantity of arabic
land now left in the hands OF the Government
is carefully protected against the encroach-
ments of mere spectators and the fraudulent
evasions of the law which have already re-
suited III the acquisition of many millions Of
ncres, the time is not TAR distant when 1t will be
impossible for the surplus laborers in the older
communities to secure cheap homes in the
West; and then we shall begin to experience,
in worse form than ever heretofore, those So
cial and political evils which naturally spring
from dense and idle populations. The situa-
tion imperatively demands the careful revision
and strict enforcement of the laws relating to
the disposition of the public domain, so that
speculation and fraud may be prevented or
punished and cheap homes and good titles
guaranteed to the honest settler, the reclama-
tion of lands Illegally occupied or claimed by
individuals and corporations, foreign and do
mestic; and Just and speedy settlement of all
matters in dispute between the Government
and the subsidized railroad companies; the en-
actment and rigid enforcement of laws to COM
pei corporations to take patents for all
the lands actually and legally earned by them
under grants from the Government, so that
they may be subject to taxation by the States
and Territories in which they are situated; and
finally, the adoption of a just and enlightened
policy for the civilization and Government of
the Indians within our jurisdiction, in order
.hat all the substantial rights of these depend
cnt people may be amply protected without
unnecessarily retarding tho develop ment Of
our new States and Territories.
huCu Has ulTetuy Uecu uuTlHR tue pres
ent Administration to reclaim lands condition
ally granted to railroad and other corporations,
to annul fraudulent entries, to prevent unlaw
full Enclosures, and to protect the timbers and
minerals upon the public domain; but the work
is still incomplete and it will require addition
al legislation and constant vigilance upon the
part of those charged with the administration
Of the laws, to prevent the improper appropria-
tion of q large part of the most valuable terri
tory belonging to the Government. In
order to do this the cooperation of the
legislative and Executive departments is alb
sOlutcly necessary, and past experience has
shown that this cooperation, except to Il linn
tied extent, could not be secured until after Il
Democratic Administration was inaugurated.
The foundations of the existing system, under
which immense landed estates have been ac-
quired by foreign and domestic corporations
and syndicates, were laid by the Republican
party, and the fraudulent practices which have
despoiled the public domain of its most fertile
and valuable sections were begun and contin-
ued while Republican officials alone were
charged with the duty of enforcing the laws and
protecting the interests of the Government and
the people Even now, when the magnitude of
the evils almost universally recognized, and
the demand for immediate reform is urgently
pressed by the homeless labor of the country,
the Republican Senate either refuses to act at
all or proceeds slowly and reluctantly to the
hand, the Democratic House has been earnest
and active in its efforts to secure such changes
in the laws as will dedicate the public lands to
actual settlers under the Homestead law. and
has even gone so far as to amend its rules ir
order to give such measures preference
over other business. 1t has passed bills
forfeiting and restoring to the Govern
ment. for the benefit Of actual set
tiers, more than one hundred millior
acres of land, only part OF which has beer
concurred in by the Senate; and it has passed
and sent to the Senate u bill to repeal the
Timber Culture Presumption and Desert Lane
laws, under which most of the great fraud.
were committed. The course OF the Interior
Department, under the direction OF Dem
ocratic Secretary and Commissioner of tht
Land ONCE, is familiar to the country, ant
| need not be commented upon here. 1t ha
been uniformly IN the interest of q faithful anC
honest administration OF the law in spirit o
friendship for the bona .fds settler and claim
| ant. and hostility to the fraudulent adventurel
ana speculator. In view of what has actuall
occurred in the past, and considering the pres
ent attitudes of the two parties with referenc
| to the subject, there Is scarcely room for
| doubt as to which one OF them would be thu
safest custodian of the public interests, and tn,
| most likely to protect the honest claim OF tn
humble citizen against the predatory scheme
| OF organized capital ana political inhu
| ence.
Closely connected with the question of reve
nue. reduction is the question OF honesty AM
economy in the public expenditures. Tha
| the ordinary expenditures of the Government
| not including pensions or payments upon tn
| principal and interest OF the war debt, hav
enormously outgrown the increase OF popul;
| zion and public business, is propostio
| which can be mathematically demonstrated
aud. us this Is n reversal OF the rule that pre-
| Walls under sound and healthy conditions c
the public service, IL proves the existence c